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Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team that plays on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois. The club is in the Central Division of the American League. They are managed by former team shortstop Ozzie Guillén. The White Sox are one of two major league teams based in Chicago, the other being the Chicago Cubs of the National League. Both clubs are charter members of their respective leagues. The White Sox were a frequent contender during the early 20th century, winning 5 of the first 19 league pennants; but the team's fortunes dropped precipitously in the aftermath of the 1919 "Black Sox" scandal. After winning only one league championship in the years spanning 1920 to 2004, the team ended decades (and generations) of frustration in 2005 when it won its first World Series Championship since 1917. :All-time regular season record (1901-2005): 8210 won - 8020 lost - 101 tied - 3 no-decision :See also: List of Chicago White Sox people Franchise history The team began as the Sioux City Cornhuskers in a minor league called the Western League. The WL had reorganized itself in November 1893, with Ban Johnson as President. Johnson, a Cincinnati-based reporter, had been recommended by his friend Charles Comiskey, former major league star with the St. Louis Browns in the 1880s, who was then managing the Cincinnati Reds. After the 1894 season, when Comiskey's contract with the Reds was up, he decided to take his chances at ownership. He bought the Sioux City team and transferred it to St. Paul, Minnesota, where it enjoyed some success over the next five seasons. In 1900, the Western League changed its name to the American League. It was still officially a minor league, a part of the National Agreement and an underling of the National League. The NL actually gave permission to the AL to put a team in Chicago, and Comiskey moved his St. Paul club to Chicago's South Side. After the season, the AL declined to renew its membership in the National Agreement, and the war was on. The club originally called itself the "White Stockings," the original name of the National League's Chicago Cubs. Incidentally, the White Stockings won the first AL pennant in 1900, albeit still officially as a minor league team. After acquiring a number of stars from the older league, including pitcher and manager Clark Griffith, the White Stockings also captured the AL's first major-league pennant the next year, in 1901. Headline editors at the Chicago Tribune sports department immediately began shortening the name to "White Sox," and the team officially adopted the shorter name in 1903. The White Sox would continue to be built on pitching and defense in the following years, led by pitching workhorse Ed Walsh, who routinely pitched over 400 innings each season in his prime. 1903-16: The Hitless Wonders Walsh, Doc White and Nick Altrock paced the White Sox to their 1906 pennant and their first World Series victory, a stunning upset over the Cubs who had won a record 116 regular-season games. The 1906 Sox were dubbed the "Hitless Wonders" for having the lowest team batting average in the American League that year. Nevertheless they took the Series, and intracity bragging rights, in six games. Until the 1970s, the Sox would continue to be noted primarily for pitching and defense, and the "Hitless Wonders" tag would resurface from time to time. One notable example occurred on April 22, 1959. In a game with the Kansas City Athletics, the Sox scored 11 runs in the seventh inning... on one hit, by Johnny Callison. They were aided by 10 walks, 3 errors and a hit batsman. The 1917 World Champions In 1914, the Chicago White Sox were 70-84, but had a solid core of players who would stay on to be regulars on the 1917 World Championship team such as catcher Ray Schalk, shortstop Buck Weaver, and pitchers Eddie Cicotte, Red Faber and Reb Russell. In 1915, Pants Rowland became the manager and the Sox added outfielder Shoeless Joe Jackson, second baseman Eddie Collins and outfielder Happy Felsch to the line-up. The Sox finished in 3rd Place with a record of 93-61. In 1916, the Sox acquired pitcher Lefty Williams and finished 2nd at 89-65. In 1917, the Sox put the final pieces of the puzzle together with the addition of first baseman Chick Gandil and shortstop Swede Risberg. Weaver was moved over to third base. The 1917 Chicago White Sox dominated the American League with a record of 100-54 and won the pennant by 9 games over the Boston Red Sox. Their offense, led by Eddie Collins (.289 91 runs), Happy Felsch (.308 102 RBI) and Shoeless Joe Jackson (.301 91 runs), was 1st in runs scored. The Sox’ pitching staff led by Eddie Cicotte (28-12 1.53 ERA), Lefty Williams (17-8 2.97 ERA), Red Faber (16-13 1.92 ERA) and Reb Russell (15-5 1.95 ERA) ranked 1st with a 2.16 ERA. The Sox faced the 98-56 New York Giants in the World Series. The Sox won Game 1 of the Series in Chicago 2-1 behind a complete game by Eddie Cicotte. Happy Felsch hit a home run in the 4th inning that provided the winning margin. The Sox beat the Giants in Game 2 by a score of 7-2 behind another complete game effort by Red Faber to take a 2-0 lead in the series. Back in New York for Game 3, Eddie Cicotte again threw a complete game, but the Sox could not muster a single run against Giants starter Rube Bensen and lost 2-0. In Game 4 the Sox were shut out again 5-0 by Ferdie Schupp. Faber threw another complete game, but the Series was even going back to Chicago even at 2-2. Reb Russell started Game 5 in Chicago, but only faced 3 batters before giving way to Cicotte. Going into the bottom of the 7th inning, Chicago was down 5-2, but they rallied to score 3 in the 7th and 3 in the 8th to win 8-5. Red Faber pitched the final 2 innings for the win. In Game 6 the Sox took an early 3-0 lead and on the strength of another complete game victory from Red Faber (his third of the Series) won 4-2 and clinched the World Championship. Eddie Collins was the hitting hero, batting .409 over the 6 game series while Eddie Cicotte and Red Faber combined to pitch 50 out of a total 52 World Series innings to lead the staff. 1922-58: The lean years The White Sox had been the league's dominant team at the time, but were severely crippled by losing seven of their best players in the middle of their prime. The team dropped into seventh place in 1921 and would not contend again until 1936. During that stretch, only the 1925 and 1926 teams even managed to top .500. During this period, the Sox featured stars such as third baseman Willie Kamm, shortstop Luke Appling and pitcher Ted Lyons. However, an outstanding team was never developed around them, or a deep pitching staff. Ironically, the White Sox almost landed Babe Ruth; they offered to trade Jackson to the Boston Red Sox for Ruth after owner Harry Frazee put his troublemaking star on the market. The White Sox offered Jackson and $60,000; however, the New York Yankees offered an all-cash deal of $100,000. The White Sox finally became competitive again under popular manager Jimmie Dykes, who led them from 1934 to 1946—still the longest managerial tenure in team history. However, the White Sox didn't completely recover from their malaise until the team was rebuilt in the 1950s under managers Paul Richards, Marty Marion, and Al Lopez. Between the dumping of star players by the Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Red Sox, and the decimation of the White Sox, a "power vacuum" was created in the American League, into which the Yankees would soon move. It is interesting to note that since 1920, although the White Sox have won fewer pennants than the Cubs or Red Sox - whose fans can be considered among the most angst-riddled fans in all of sports - as well as being responsible for perhaps the biggest scandal in baseball history, the White Sox' fan base has largely shrugged off their relative lack of success over the years, blaming it more on inferior teams, poor management and bad luck rather than some other-worldly "curse". Even the players who conspired to fix the 1919 World Series seem not to have been reviled or held responsible for the White Sox' lack of success as much as certain Cubs and Red Sox icons have been. Rightly or wrongly, those Sox players have often been seen as victims, and Comiskey himself has often been seen as bearing a large part of the blame for what happened due to his extremely frugal management style. 1959-67: "Go-Go White Sox" and the Bridesmaid Years Following Charles Comiskey's death in 1931, the team continued to be operated by his family – first by his son Louis, then by Louis' widow Grace, and finally by their daughter Dorothy. Not until 1959 did the team pass out of the family (thanks in part to a feud between Dorothy and her brother Chuck) to a new ownership group, led by Bill Veeck, who had previously run both the Cleveland Indians and the St. Louis Browns; it has recently been claimed that Veeck also tried to buy the Philadelphia Phillies during World War II, with the stated intention of stocking the team with players from the Negro Leagues, but was rejected. Veeck's arrival in 1959 brought an organizational approach which emphasized the entertainment aspect of the sport without sacrificing quality on the field, and Comiskey Park became home to a series of fan-friendly promotional stunts which helped draw record crowds, the most obvious being the exploding fireworks Veeck installed in the scoreboard to celebrate home runs and victories. Unlike Charles Comiskey, Veeck was also considered a player-friendly owner, and players enjoyed playing for him. During the 1950s, the team had begun to restore its respectability utilizing an offensive philosophy emphasizing speed and a spectacular style of defense. Perennial All-Star Minnie Miñoso, a former Negro Leaguer who became the Sox' first black player in 1951, personified both aspects, leading the league in stolen bases while hitting over .300 and providing terrific play in left field. The additions of rookie shortstop Luis Aparicio in 1956 and manager Al Lopez in 1957 continued the strengthening of the team, joining longtime team standouts such as Nellie Fox at second base, pitcher Billy Pierce and catcher Sherm Lollar. In 1959, the team won its first pennant in 40 years, thanks to the efforts of several eventual Hall of Famers – Lopez, Aparicio, Fox (the league MVP), and pitcher Early Wynn, who won the Cy Young Award at a time when only one award was presented for both leagues. The White Sox would also acquire slugger Ted Kluszewski, a local area native, from the Cincinnati Reds for the final pennant push. Kluszewski gave the team a much-needed slugger for the stretch run, and he hit nearly .300 for the White Sox in the final month. Lopez had also managed the Cleveland Indians to the World Series in 1954, making him the only manager to interrupt the New York Yankees pennant run between 1949 and 1964. After the pennant-clinching victory, Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley, a lifelong White Sox fan, ordered his fire chief to set off the city's air raid sirens. Many Chicagoans became fearful and confused since 1959 was the height of the Cold War; however, they relaxed somewhat upon realizing it was part of the White Sox' celebration. The Sox won Game 1 of the World Series 11-0 on the strength of Kluszewski's two home runs, their last postseason home win until 2005. The Los Angeles Dodgers, however, won three of the next four games and captured their first World Series championship since moving to the west coast in 1958. 92,706 fans witnessed Game 5 of the World Series at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the most ever to attend a World Series game, or for that matter any non-exhibition major league baseball game. The White Sox won that game 1-0 over the Dodgers' 23-year-old pitcher Sandy Koufax, but the Dodgers clinched the series by beating the Sox 9-3 two days later at Comiskey Park. Although the White Sox had winning records every season from 1951 through 1967, the Yankees dynasty of the era often left the Sox frustrated in second place; they were league runner-up 5 times between 1957 and 1965. Health problems forced Veeck to sell the team to brothers Arthur and John Allyn in 1961, and while the team continued to play well, many of the ballpark thrills seemed to be missing. The 1964 season was especially frustrating, as the team won 98 games, four more than 1959, including their last nine in a row – yet finished one game behind the pennant-winning Yankees, who had a late-season eleven-game win streak that opened up just enough room to stave off the Sox's final charge. The White Sox were also involved in one of the closest pennant races in history in 1967. After leading the American League for most of the season, on the final weekend, the White Sox, Boston Red Sox, Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers all had a shot at the pennant. However, the Red Sox would assert themselves in the final weekend, beating the Twins to take the pennant by a single game. The White Sox would finish in 4th at 89-73, three games behind. 1968-75: Going somewhere? In 1968, Bud Selig, a former minority owner of the Milwaukee Braves who had been unable to stop the relocation of his team three years earlier, contracted with the Allyn brothers to host nine home games at Milwaukee County Stadium as part of an attempt to attract an expansion franchise to Milwaukee. The experiment was staggeringly successful - those nine games drew 264,297 fans. In Chicago that season, the Sox drew 539,478 fans to their remaining 58 home games. In just a handful of games, the Milwaukee crowds accounted for nearly one-third of the total attendance at White Sox games. In 1968, the Sox schedule in Milwaukee was expanded to include 11 home games (one against every other franchise in the American League at the time). Although those games were attended by slightly fewer fans (198,211 fans, for an average of 18,019) they represented a greater percentage of the total White Sox attendance than the previous year - over one-third of the fans who went to Sox games did so at County Stadium (in the remaining 59 home dates in Chicago, the Sox drew 391,335 for an average of 6,632 per game). Bud Selig was denied an expansion franchise at the 1968 owners meetings, and turned his efforts toward purchasing and relocating an existing club. His search began close to home, with the White Sox themselves. According to Selig, he had a handshake agreement with Arthur Allyn in early 1969 to purchase a majority stake in the Pale Hose and move them north to the Cream City. The American League, however, blocked the sale, unwilling to give up its presence in a major city. Allyn instead sold his shares to his brother John, who agreed to stay in Chicago. Selig would go on to buy the Seattle Pilots and move them to Milwaukee instead. The Sox had a brief resurgence in 1972, with slugger Dick Allen winning the MVP award; but injuries, especially to popular third baseman Bill Melton, took their toll and the team finished 5½ games behind Oakland, the eventual world champion. Several lawsuits against Major League Baseball from Seattle over the move of the Pilots to Milwaukee almost resulted in the Sox being moved to the Emerald city in 1975. An elaborate scheme for a franchise shuffle soon came to light. The Sox were to be moved to Seattle, then the Oakland Athletics were to take the Sox's place in Comiskey Park. Oakland owner Charlie Finley was from nearby LaPorte, Indiana. His A's had not drawn well during their Championship years in Oakland, and he wanted to bring them to Chicago. However, the shuffle collapsed when owner John Allyn sold the team to the physically-rehabilitated Bill Veeck. In 1977, the Seattle Mariners were created, thus restoring the major leagues' presence in the Pacific Northwest. 1976-81: The Return of Veeck and the South Side Hitmen On December 10, 1975, Bill Veeck regained ownership of the team, and vowed to make the Sox an exciting team again. Besides his customary promotions, Veeck introduced retro uniforms and shorts. But the 1976 team was one of the worst White Sox teams ever fielded, winning only 64 games (.398), drawing fewer than 915,000 fans, and the team was ridiculed for wearing uniforms which featured shorts. The 1977 team gave 1,657,135 fans (at the time, an all-time Chicago baseball attendance record) much to cheer about. Veeck, unable to shell out money for huge, long-term contracts, adopted a "rent a player" strategy; trading for players in the last year of their contracts. The 1977 team featured new faces Richie Zisk, Oscar Gamble, Eric Soderholm, and by the end of July, the team was 24 games over .500 and 5½ games ahead of the Kansas City Royals. Team organist Nancy Faust riled the opponents with her version of "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" after White Sox home runs, opponent pitching changes, and home team victories; despite complaints by the opposition, Faust continues the tradition to this day. Fans were also entertained by announcer Harry Caray's seventh-inning stretch renditions of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" (a tradition which, contrary to popular belief, did not originate at Wrigley Field when Caray joined the crosstown Cubs in 1982). A 4-12 stretch in early August, and a club-record 16-game winning streak by the Royals, left the White Sox in third place by the end of the season with a 90-72 record. After the end of the 1977 season, free agents Gamble and Zisk signed with other teams. Veeck's attempt to replace them with Bobby Bonds and Ron Blomberg fizzled as the 1978 team lost 90 games. After 87 losses in 1979 (including the infamous July 12, 1979 forfeit on Disco Demolition Night ; see Steve Dahl) and 90 losses in 1980. Veeck began building a farm system that produced several noteworthy players including Harold Baines and Britt Burns. But Veeck could not compete in the free agent market or afford what he called "the high price of mediocrity." By 1980, the Sox were looking for new ownership. Veeck favored Ohio real estate tycoon Ed DeBartolo. Many know him as the father of NFL's San Francisco 49ers owner Ed DeBartolo Jr. The elder tried to buy several teams and move them to New Orleans. But he pleaded to buy the Sox and promised to stay in the South Side. The only person blocking the transaction was Major League Baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn. Kuhn thought DeBartolo was not "RP" or right people. Ed DeBartolo was rejected by the other American League owners. With the sale to DeBartolo blocked, Veeck sold the team to an ownership group headed by Jerry Reinsdorf and Eddie Einhorn. The new owners moved quickly to show that they were committed to winning by signing All-Star catcher Carlton Fisk from the Boston Red Sox during the 1980-81 offseason. They also retained the club's young, relatively unknown manager Tony La Russa. Rather than focusing on announcers Caray and Jimmy Piersall, or the threat of the team moving to Denver, the focus would be the team on the field. It was a sign of good things to come for the White Sox. Reinsdorf and Einhorn got off on the wrong foot with their fan base by intimating they wanted to become Chicago's team and attract a more upscale crowd. They fired Piersall, a fan favorite, and let Caray move to the Cubs. They also moved the team off free TV and launched a cable channel, Sportsvision. Perhaps to placate the fans, the owners launched a uniform design contest. The fans were given the opportunity to vote on the finalists. However, the resulting red-white-and blue bar design uniform was not among baseballs finest. 1982-87: "Winning Ugly" 1983 In 1983, the White Sox enjoyed their best success in a generation. Despite great expectations, at the All-Star Break the White Sox were only one game over .500, at 39-38. After the break, the Sox traded 2nd baseman Tony Bernazard to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for the speedy Julio Cruz. The Pale Hose went on a tear, going 60-25 to win 99 games and the AL West title. The White Sox were led by catcher Carlton Fisk, outfielder Harold Baines, eventual Rookie of the Year outfielder Ron Kittle, designated hitter Greg Luzinski, and pitchers LaMarr Hoyt (who won the Cy Young that year), Britt Burns, Floyd Bannister, and Richard Dotson. Manager Tony La Russa also won the Manager of the Year award in his first managerial success. Doug Rader, then manager of the Texas Rangers, derisively accused the team of "winning ugly" for their style of play, which reflected a tendency to win games through scrappy play rather than consistently strong hitting or pitching. Rader also thought that if the Sox played in the Eastern Division, they would finish 5th behind powerhouses such as Baltimore, New York, and Milwaukee. Chicago media and Sox fans picked up on the phrase, and turned "Winning Ugly" into the team slogan. While they had a great run in the regular season, they were not able to carry that over into the postseason as they lost to a powerful Baltimore Orioles team 3 games to 1 in the AL Championship Series. Hoyt led the Sox to a 2-1 victory in Game 1, but the Orioles clinched the series with a 3-0 ten-inning victory in Game 4. White Sox pitcher Britt Burns pitched a "gutsy" game, throwing 9⅓ shutout innings before a home run by Tito Landrum broke up the game and the hearts of the South Side faithful. (In the 1997 ALCS, Sox fans took some vicarious pleasure when Tony Fernandez of Cleveland homered in the 11th inning of a scoreless game at Baltimore, knocking the O's out of the playoffs). 1985-1986 The club slid back into mediocrity for the rest of the 1980s, contending only in 1985. Before the 1985 season began, the Sox traded pitcher LaMarr Hoyt to the San Diego Padres in exchange for flashy shortstop Ozzie Guillen. Guillen would win the AL Rookie Of The Year award. In 1986, broadcaster-turned-general manager Ken "Hawk" Harrelson fired La Russa after a poor start. The club wouldn't contend again until 1990, the final year in Old Comiskey Park. 1987-89: New Comiskey Park/U.S. Cellular Field In the late 1980s, the franchise threatened to relocate to Tampa Bay (as did the San Francisco Giants), but frantic lobbying of the part of the Illinois governor and state legislature resulted in approval (by one vote) of public funding for a new stadium. Although designed primarily as a baseball stadium (as opposed to a "multipurpose" stadium) New Comiskey Park (redubbed U.S. Cellular Field in 2003) was built in a 1960s style similar to Dodger Stadium and Kauffman Stadium. It opened in 1991 to positive reviews; many praised its wide open concourses, excellent sight lines, and natural grass (unlike other stadiums of the era such as Skydome in Toronto.) However, it was quickly overshadowed in the public imagination by the wave of "nostalgia" or "retro" ballparks, beginning with Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The park's inaugural season drew 2,934,154 fans - at the time, an all-time attendance record for any Chicago baseball team. Despite a number of innovations in its original construction - including a lower deck concourse that circumscribes the entire stadium, allowing a view of the game from any location - the park was often criticized for its sterile appearance and steep upper deck. The playing field's distance from the stands has also been criticized by Chicago fans accustomed to more intimate ballparks. In recent years, money accrued from the sale of naming rights to U.S. Cellular has been allocated for renovations to make the park more aesthetically appealing and fan friendly. Notable renovations of early phases included: re-orientation of the bullpens parallel to the field of play (thus decreasing slightly the formerly symmetrical dimensions of the outfield); filling seats in up to and shortening the outfield wall; ballooning foul-line seat sections out toward the field of play; creating a new multi-tiered batter's eye, allowing fans to see out through one-way screens from the center-field vantage point, and complete with concession stand and bar-style seating on its 'fan deck'; renovating all concourse areas with brick, historic murals, and new concession stand ornaments to establish a more friendly feel. The stadium's steel and concrete was repainted dark gray and black. The scoreboard Jumbotron was also replaced with a new Mitsubishi Diamondvision HDTV giant screen. More recently, the top third of the upper deck was removed in 2004 and a black wrought metal roof was placed over it, covering all but the first 8 rows of seats. This decreased seating capacity from 47,000 to 40,615. 2005 also saw the introduction of the Scout Seats, redesignating (and re-upholstering) 200 lower deck seats behind home plate as an exclusive area, with seat-side waitstaff and a complete restaurant located underneath the concourse. The most significant structural addition besides the new roof was 2005's FUNdamentals Deck, a multi-tiered structure on the left field concourse containing batting cages, a small tee-ball field, and several other child-themed activities intended to entertain and educate young fans. This structure was used during the 2005 playoffs by ESPN and Fox Television as a broadcasting platform. Designed as a 5-phase plan, the renovations will be complete after the 2006 season with the 5th and final phase. The most visible renovation in this final phase will be replacing the original blue seats with green seats. The upper deck already has new green seats, put in before the beginning of the 2006 season. 1990-2004: "Good Guys Wear Black" That season, most of their young talent blossomed. Closer Bobby Thigpen established a new record with 57 saves. In addition to that, 1st baseman Frank Thomas, pitchers Alex Fernandez and Jack McDowell, and 3rd baseman Robin Ventura would make their presences felt in the South Side. The Sox of 1990 won 94 games, but finished 9 games behind the powerful Oakland Athletics. On July 11, 1990, as part of the celebration of Comiskey Park, the White Sox played a Turn Back the Clock game against the Milwaukee Brewers. The White Sox wore their 1917 home uniforms. This was the first Turn Back the Clock game in the major leagues and started what has become a popular promotion. The club turned off the electronic scoreboards and public address system. They constructed a special manually operated scoreboard in centerfield for the day and even the grounds-crew wore period costume. General admission tickets were sold for $0.50, popcorn was a nickel, and the stadium organ was shut down for the game. In anticipation of the move to the new ballpark, the White Sox adopted classic pinstriped uniforms late in the 1990 season along with the alternate black jerseys, instantly jumping to the top of the league in merchandise sales. Originally to be premiered in the 1991 season, the Sox sported the jerseys during their final days at the old ballpark. 1993 The team reached the ALCS in 1993. The White Sox were led by Thomas, multi-sport star Bo Jackson, Cy Young Award winner McDowell and All-Star closer Roberto Hernández and won the last AL West before realignment with a 94-68 record. However, the White Sox were a big disappointment in the ALCS, losing to the defending World Champion Toronto Blue Jays in six games. The Jays would go on to win the World Series again in 1993. The White Sox led the new AL Central Division at the time of the 1994 players' strike. 1997 On July 31, 1997, with the White Sox only 3.5 games back of the Cleveland Indians for the division lead, they traded veteran pitchers Wilson Alvarez, Danny Darwin, and Roberto Hernández to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for six minor leaguers, most notably Keith Foulke. Many fans saw this as their ownership (led by Jerry Reinsdorf) betraying them and trading away their chance to win the division in exchange for next to nothing. This trade was deemed the "White Flag Trade" by the Chicago newspapers due to the perception that the White Sox organization essentially surrendered to the Indians without a fight that year. This trade did considerable harm to the already struggling White Sox fan base. The team's unpopular manager that year, Terry Bevington, while enduring a rocky relationship with the Chicago media, did nothing to help the situation – on one occasion signalling to the bullpen for a relief pitcher when no one was warming up. He was replaced by Jerry Manuel following the 1997 season. 2000 Under Manuel, the White Sox fielded a talented but chronically under-achieving team. In the year 2000, however, the White Sox had one of their best teams since the 1983 club. This team, whose slogan was "The Kids Can Play," won 95 games en route to an AL Central division title. The team scored runs at a blistering pace, which enabled them to win all of these games despite a mediocre pitching staff led by Mike Sirotka. Frank Thomas nearly won his third MVP award with his offensive output; he was helped by good offensive years from Magglio Ordóñez, Paul Konerko, Carlos Lee and Jose Valentin. A big key for this team was that they seemed always to get a clutch hit whenever they needed it. The pitching staff, however, was beset by injuries before the playoffs began. As in 1983 and 1993, this team could not carry its success over into the postseason, getting swept by the wild-card Seattle Mariners in the Division Series. Despite new club records for hits (1,615), runs scored (978), RBI (926), home runs (216), and doubles (325), the Sox managed to hit only .185 in the ALDS and failed to score a run after the third inning in any of the three games. They were eliminated when Mariners pinch-hitter Carlos Guillen drove in the winning run with a squeeze bunt. Over the next four years, the White Sox were in contention for the division title, normally finishing in second place under pitchers David Wells, Mark Buehrle, Bartolo Colon, and hitters Magglio Ordonez, Carlos Lee, and Paul Konerko. Thomas was injured early in 2001, and struggled with injuries for the remainder of his career with the team. 2005-Present: "Win Or Die Trying" 2003-04, 2004-05 offseasons In November 2003, the White Sox hired former team shortstop Ozzie Guillén as manager. The next year, general manager Ken Williams vowed to change the makeup of the team from one that relies on the home run to one that has good pitching and defense. They traded outfielder Carlos Lee for center fielder Scott Podsednik, and also signed outfielder Jermaine Dye and former Yankee pitcher Orlando Hernandez to complete a rotation that included Freddy Garcia, Mark Buehrle, Jose Contreras and Jon Garland. Garcia and Contreras had come to the Sox in deals made during the 2004 season. Additionally, former Minnesota Twin and San Francisco Giant A.J. Pierzynski was signed to fill the catching spot. Finally, to complete the make-over, Williams signed Japanese second baseman Tadahito Iguchi to a contract. 2005:World Series Champions The changes made an immediate impact on the team. In 2005, the White Sox posted the best record in the major leagues for much of the year, before a late season slump saw the St. Louis Cardinals overtake them (100 wins vs. 99 wins). Though a serious challenge for their dominance of the division was mounted late in the year by the Cleveland Indians (the Tribe actually reduced what was once a 15 game lead for the Sox down to 1½ games at one point), Chicago scored a 4-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on September 29 to win their first AL Central Division title since 2000. Finishing at 99-63 (.611) tied their 1983 record, and won the division by six games. The last time they had a higher percentage than that was 1920, when they finished second in the league thanks to the late-season "Black Sox" suspensions. The combination of the league's best record with the American League victory in the All-Star Game gave the White Sox the home field advantage throughout the 2005 post-season (perhaps unnecessary as the White Sox won every post-season road game they played in 2005). Among the other changes that occurred in 2005 (and still seen in 2006) was the creation of a new marketing campaign, referring to the team's new style of play. 2005 saw a much-reduced reliance on power hitting (even though the team still hit over 200 home runs on the season), and a move toward speed, and defense. This culminated in what locally became known as "Ozzieball" or "Grinderball". As part of the marketing campaign, the White Sox began inventing "The Grinder Rules", a list of fictitious "rules" created as a part of an advertising campaign, and a way of reminding fans about the changes to the team, and the success it was bringing. The first Grinder Rule became the team's motto for the 2005 season: "Win, or die trying!" The rules themselves are an "incomplete" list, as the numbers are somewhat random. They are collected from print, billboard, television, and radio advertisements, as well as advertising at U.S. Cellular Field, where the White Sox play their home games. 2005 ALDS In the first round of the 2005 playoffs, the White Sox took on the wild-card winning Boston Red Sox, the defending World Series champions. However, the White Sox overpowered the Red Sox, defeating the Red Sox in a three-game sweep. They won the first two games (scoring a 14-2 victory in the first game – their first postseason win at home since 1959 – and 5-4 in the second) of the series at home before going to Fenway Park and claiming a 5-3 victory. The ALDS also set the tone for what would be an unusually suspenseful post-season; while their first game was considered a blow-out, the remaining games saw the White Sox making the most of rare opportunities and hanging on to narrow leads. In Game 2, the White Sox were actually down 4-2 when Red Sox second baseman Tony Graffanino, formerly playing for the White Sox, let Juan Uribe's potential inning-ending, double-play grounder go through his legs; one out later, Tadahito Iguchi hit a three-run homer to left that clinched the game for the White Sox. In Game 3, Orlando Hernandez entered the game with the bases loaded and nobody out with the White Sox ahead by only one run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Based on their regular season performance, it was later calculated that the Red Sox's probability of winning at that point was .662, even though they were trailing by one run. Instead, the first two batters, Jason Varitek and Tony Graffanino, both popped out, and Johnny Damon struck out swinging on a breaking ball. Hernandez went on to retire six of the next seven batters, and the White Sox's rookie reliever Bobby Jenks closed out the game. 2005 ALCS The Sox then moved on to face the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the ALCS. The Angels won Game 1 3-2 despite making three cross-country airplane trips in three days. In Game 2 on October 12, 2005, the teams were involved in one of the most controversial endings in baseball playoff history. With the score tied 1-1 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, A.J. Pierzynski apparently struck out to end the inning. At first Pierzynski headed back to the dugout but ran to first base upon realizing that umpire Doug Eddings had ruled that Angels catcher Josh Paul did not field the ball cleanly, meaning he would have to either tag the batter or throw to the first baseman to record the out (see dropped third strike). Despite vehement protests from various members of the Angels, including manager Mike Scioscia, Pierzynski was awarded first base. Pinch-runner Pablo Ozuna replaced Pierzynski and stole second base. Third baseman Joe Crede then delivered a base hit on the third pitch to give the White Sox a controversial 2-1 win. Overshadowed by that play was the 1-run, 5-hit complete game pitched by Mark Buehrle. Buehrle's excellent effort allowed the White Sox to capture their first-ever home victory in ALCS history. Buoyed by their win, the White Sox travelled to Anaheim, where starters Jon Garland, Freddy Garcia, and Jose Contreras (who had dropped Game 1 to the Angels in Chicago) pitched three more complete game victories consecutively over the Angels, giving the Sox their first American League pennant since 1959. Sox slugger Paul Konerko was named the ALCS MVP, on the strength of his two home runs, 7 RBI, and .286 average. Especially in light of the evolution of the game, the White Sox' four straight complete games was considered an unbelievable achievement. In fact, since Jose Contreras pitched 8⅓ innings in game 1, the White Sox bullpen saw a total of ⅔ of an inning pitched (by Neal Cotts) in the entire series. The last time four consecutive complete games had been pitched in a championship series was in the 1956 World Series between the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees, and the 1928 Yankees were the last team to win four consecutive complete games in a championship series. In fact, the last time any major league pitching staff had hurled four straight complete game victories was near the end of the 1983 regular season, when the Texas Rangers accomplished the feat. 2005 World Series The Sox now advanced to the World Series, where they would take on the National League champion Houston Astros. The White Sox' appearance in the World Series was bittersweet for longtime franchise star Frank Thomas. One of the most popular and productive players in the franchise's long history, Thomas would finally be going to a World Series in his 16th major league season. However, due to injury, Thomas would be unable to participate except as an observer, and his contributions to the White Sox in 2005 were limited. Game 1 saw Astros' ace Roger Clemens leave the game with a hamstring injury, and Chicago took advantage of its opponents' weakness, winning 5-3. Joe Crede especially made an impressive showing with his stellar defensive plays at third base. Game 2 of the Series, as in the ALCS, saw the White Sox again involved in a controversial play. With the Sox down 4-2 in the seventh with two outs and two runners on base, the home plate umpire ruled that Jermaine Dye had been hit by a pitch, while the Astros argued (and TV replays confirmed) that the ball had actually hit the bat. Dye was given a free pass to first, and the next batter, Paul Konerko, launched a grand slam into left field to give Chicago a 6-4 lead. Houston tied the game on a two-run single with two outs in the top of the ninth, but in the bottom of the ninth, Scott Podsednik hit a walk-off solo home run off Brad Lidge to give the Sox a thrilling 7-6 victory and a 2-0 lead in the Series. Podsednik was the first player in Major League history to hit a home run in the World Series after not having hit any during the regular season. (He did, however, have a home run in Game 1 of the ALDS against Boston, making the World Series home run his second of the playoffs.) The World Series then shifted to Houston for Game 3, in which Astros' starter and NLCS MVP Roy Oswalt cruised with a 4-0 lead until the wheels totally came off for him with a five-run fifth by the White Sox. The Astros managed to tie the game in the eighth, but repeatedly blew scoring opportunities in the next few innings. Finally, in the top of the 14th, former Astro Geoff Blum hit a tie-breaking home run; the Sox took a commanding 3-0 Series lead with a 7-5 victory in the longest World Series game in history (in terms of time). Ozzie Guillen sent Mark Buehrle in to get the last out in the bottom of the 14th to get the save after he had started Game 2, and later remarked that he was set to send Pablo Ozuna (a position player) in to pitch if the Astros somehow extended the game. In Game 4, a pitcher's duel between Freddy Garcia and Brandon Backe, Jermaine Dye broke a scoreless tie in the eighth by singling to center off of Brad Lidge, the embattled Astros closer who gave up the home run to Podsednik in Game 2, driving in Willie Harris for what turned out to be the winning run. Game 4 also saw a spectacular defensive play by Juan Uribe, as the Chicago shortstop fell two rows into the stands in order to retire Chris Burke for the second out in the bottom of the ninth. Uribe also made the final out of the Series on the next play, as he threw Orlando Palmeiro out at first, narrowly beating Palmeiro to give the White Sox their first World Series crown since 1917. Jermaine Dye was named the World Series MVP in the four-game sweep. The White Sox championship run can be considered one for the ages. Apart from a brief shaky stretch in early September, White Sox team displayed sheer dominance as evident by the wire-to-wire first place in American League. Only the 1927 Yankees were able to achieve such a feat. Their 11-1 postseason record was tied with 1999 Yankees as the best single post season mark. (Only Cincinnati Reds in 1976 had a better winning percentage by going 7-0). The White Sox also became the only team to win all three post-season victories on the road. Amazingly, despite their 105 year history, this was only the franchise's third World Series championship, (following victories in 1917 and 1906). It also marked their first pennant since the advent of divisional play in 1969 (the White Sox won the inaugural American League pennant in 1901, but this was 2 years prior to the first modern World Series). 2005-2006 offseason On November 24 the White Sox added left-handed slugger Jim Thome from the Philadelphia Phillies for outfielder Aaron Rowand. Some fans rued the departure of the popular Rowand, who along with AJ Pierzynski and Joe Crede made up the White Sox' "Three Stooges". There was also some angst regarding the White Sox taking on Thome's contract. However, the White Sox made the move to provide the team with a left-handed slugger to go along with right-handed first baseman Paul Konerko, who re-signed on November 30 after a brief period of free agency. Thome was also familiar with the American League, having been a fixture with the Cleveland Indians for many years prior to signing with the Phillies. With the trade and the re-signing of Konerko, Frank Thomas's tenure with the White Sox came to a close when he signed with the Oakland Athletics. Although Thomas was the face of the franchise for the past decade, as well as one of the most feared hitters in the league from 1991 to 1997, he showed signs of physical breakdown in the past two seasons, only playing in 108 out of 324 regular season games. The White Sox could no longer count on Thomas's now fragile body to allow him to provide much needed protection for Konerko in the middle of the lineup. During the 2005 offseason, the White Sox cross-promoted with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, with AJ Pierzynski and team trainer/former professional wrestler Dale Torborg getting in a feud with Simon Diamond and his Diamonds in the Rough. Part of the inspiration was the fact that Pierzynski was often given the nickname of another TNA wrestler, "The Phenomenal" A.J. Styles. On December 14, 2005, the already sturdy starting pitching of the White Sox was further fortified in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The White Sox acquired 29-year-old starter Javier Vazquez in exchange for starting pitcher Orlando Hernandez, reliever Luis Vizcaino, and outfield prospect Chris Young. With the additions of Vazquez, Thome, and utilitymen Rob "Mack-Wack-Tallywack" Mackowiak (from the Pittsburgh Pirates) and Alex Cintron (from the Arizona Diamondbacks), the White Sox look poised to repeat as baseball's champion in 2006. The greatest sign to Sox fans is the willingness of owner Jerry Reinsdorf to spend the money earned from increased ticket sales during the 2005 season, as the payroll increased over $20 million (the White Sox currently have a $103 million payroll for their roster, but they are receiving money from the Phillies and Diamondbacks in the trades for Thome and Vazquez). 2006 season After leading the wild card race for much of the season, the White Sox faltered with a 9-15 record from September 1–25 before being eliminated from playoff contention, ending their chances of becoming the first repeat winner of the World Series since the New York Yankees in 1999 and 2000. They nonetheless finished with a 90-72 record, the sixth-best in the major leagues and the best by a non-playoff team. Despite missing the playoffs, the team enjoyed numerous successes during the year. Following the Fourth of July weekend, the White Sox won both crosstown interleague series against the rival Cubs, taking the first two games of each series at U.S. Cellular Field and Wrigley Field. The White Sox now lead the all-time series against the Cubs, 29-25. The White Sox finished interleague play with a record of 14-4, including a 7-2 mark in National League parks. This was the first year a White Sox manager had led the AL All-Star squad since 1960, when Al Lopez led the team. In addition to manager Ozzie Guillen, the White Sox had six representatives at the 77th All-Star Game at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, the most among any club: starting pitcher Mark Buehrle, closer Bobby Jenks, catcher A.J. Pierzynski, first basemen Paul Konerko and Jim Thome, and right fielder Jermaine Dye. Jose Contreras was originally selected to pitch in the All-Star Game, but was replaced by Francisco Liriano. Guillen removed Contreras from the roster after a 117-pitch performance in a 19-inning game against Boston on the last day before the All-Star Break. As a result of Contreras not pitching during the break, he would set an unusual modern-day mark in Major League Baseball by starting two consecutive games. Pierzynski was the last White Sox player to be named to the team after winning the year's Final Vote, in which the fans select the 32nd and final player on both the AL and NL squads. Pierzynski is the second White Sox player to be selected, following Scott Podsednik's nomination in 2005. Dye competed in the 2006 CENTURY 21 Home Run Derby; he managed to hit 7 home runs in the first round, but David Ortiz and Ryan Howard both surpassed that total to knock Dye out of the competition. Dye was only the fourth White Sox player to compete in the Derby, joining Carlton Fisk (1985), Konerko (2002), and Frank Thomas (1994, 1995). The White Sox drew 2,957,414 fans for an average of 36,511 average, third in the AL. There were a total of 52 sellouts, breaking the previous team record of 18. The White Sox also drew 75 crowds in excess of 30,000, another franchise record. The Sox had just one game with a crowd below 25,000: April 18 against the Kansas City Royals. On August 9 against the New York Yankees, the White Sox surpassed 2 million fans for the eighth time in franchise history and for the second consecutive year (1983, 1984, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, and 2005). Also, on August 30 versus the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the team surpassed 2.5 million fans for the first time since 1993, and for only the fourth time in franchise history: 1991, 1992, and 1993. It is their 25th consecutive one million-plus attendance season and 46th overall. 2007 off-season The 2006-2007 offseason stirred up controversy among Sox fans. First, on November 16, lefty reliever Neal Cotts was sent to the Chicago Cubs for reliever David Aardsma and prospect Carlos Vasquez. This was the first deal between the crosstown rivals since the Cubs traded pitcher Jon Garland for White Sox reliever Matt Karchner in the middle of the 1998 season. A deal that involved trading Garland to the Houston Astros for outfielder Willy Taveras and pitchers Taylor Buchholz and Jason Hirsh was reported to have been agreed upon, but general manager Ken Williams backed out of the trade at the last minute, due to health concerns for Buchholz. Williams traded first baseman Ross Gload to the Kansas City Royals for reliever Andrew Sisco. On December 6, starting pitcher Freddy Garcia was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for pitching prospects Gavin Floyd and Gio Gonzalez, who was initially traded to the Phillies by the White Sox in the Jim Thome deal a year prior. Even more controversial was the December 23 deal that sent highly-touted starter Brandon McCarthy, along with outfield prospect David Paisano, to the Texas Rangers for pitching prospects John Danks, Nick Masset, and Jacob Rasner. To some, it seemed as if Williams was sacrificing the present for the future in these deals. The Sox also signed free agent catcher Toby Hall, signed free agent outfielder/first baseman Darin Erstad, and signed (currently ) #4 starter Javier Vazquez to a 3 year, $33 million contract extension. 2007 season During Spring Training, Hall dislocated his shoulder while trying to make a diving play at first base. This presented a problem as Hall was the backup to A.J. Pierzynski, and now would be out for an indeterminate amount of time. As a result of the injury, the Sox were forced to bring up catching prospect Gustavo Molina. There was a competition for the fifth starter's role between newly-acquired rookies Gavin Floyd and John Danks. Danks would ultimately win the role with a good spring showing. At the conclusion of Spring Training, the White Sox opened the 2007 season at home against the Cleveland Indians. Jose Contreras would start the opener, marking the first time since 2001 that Mark Buehrle did not pitch the season opener. Contreras would be ineffective, giving up 8 runs (7 earned) on 7 hits over 1-plus innings in an eventual 12-5 loss. On April 15, Sox pitching held the Cleveland Indians to two unearned runs and a hit, but the Sox would lose 2-1, raising concerns about the usually potent Sox offense. Scott Podsednik, the Sox' best hitter with a .303 average, would be placed on the disabled list with an adductor pull, compounding the Sox' offensive woes. On April 18, Buehrle pitched a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers, 6-0. Buehrle's only blemish was a walk to Sammy Sosa in the fifth, but Buehrle would promptly pick Sosa off during the next at-bat. Buehrle secured his spot in the MLB record books when he forced Rangers catcher Gerald Laird to ground out to third baseman Joe Crede at 9:14 P.M. CDT, sending the crowd of 25,390 at U.S. Cellular Field into a frenzy. He would face the minimum of 27 batters using 106 pitches (66 strikes), with the one walk to Sosa and eight strikeouts. This was the first no-hitter by a White Sox pitcher since Wilson Alvarez did it against the Baltimore Orioles on August 11, 1991, the first no-hitter at home since Joel Horlen's no-hitter on September 10, 1967, and the first no-hitter in the American League since April 27, 2002, when then-Boston Red Sox starter Derek Lowe no-hit the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 10-0. Jermaine Dye hit a grand slam and Jim Thome added two solo homers in the history-making night. Following a 6-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins on July 6, the White Sox announced the signing of Mark Buehrle to a contract extension worth $56 million over four years. The move came after weeks of rumors of Buehrle possibly being traded. Overall, the White Sox season was hampered by injuries and a team-wide hitting slump. However, the season was not a complete failure with Mark Buehrle's no hitter, Jim Thome's 500th home run, and closer Bobby Jenks 41 consecutive batters retired (tying Jim Barr's all-time record and breaking the American League record.) Jenks would later fall short of the all time record when Kansas City Royal's player Joey Gathright slapped a ground ball into left field just out of the reaches of third baseman Josh Fields and shortstop Juan Uribe. History of White Sox uniforms Over the years the White Sox have become noted for many of their uniform innovations and changes. In 1960, the White Sox became the first team in the major sports to put players' last names on jerseys. Although the uniforms in the very early days of the franchise featured a block "C" in red, the uniforms' primary color switched to a navy or midnight blue (on white) after a couple of years. Again, a block "C" was often the only adornment. In 1912, however, the White Sox debuted one of the most enduring and famous logos in baseball—a large "S" in a Roman-style font, with a small "O" inside the top loop of the "S" and a small "X" inside the bottom loop. This is the logo associated with the 1917 World Series championship team and the 1919 Black Sox. With a couple of brief interruptions, the dark blue logo with the large "S" lasted through 1938 (but continued in a modified block style into the '40s). Through the 1940s, the White Sox team colors were primarily navy blue trimmed with red. The White Sox logo in the '50s and '60s (actually beginning in the 1949 season) was the word "SOX" in an Old English font, diagonally arranged, with the "S" larger than the other two letters. From 1949 through 1963, the primary color was black (trimmed with red after 1951). The Old English "SOX" in black lettering is the logo associated with the Go-Go Sox era. In 1964, the primary color went back to navy blue, and the road uniforms changed from gray to pale blue. In 1971, the team's primary color changed from royal blue to red, with the color of their pinstripes and caps changing to red. Curiously, the 1971-1975 uniform included red socks. In 1976 the team's uniforms changed again. The team's primary color changed back from red to navy. The team based their uniforms on a style worn in the early days of the franchise, with white jerseys worn at home, blue on the road. The team also had the option to wear blue or white pants with either jersey. Additionally the teams "SOX" logo was changed to a modern-looking "SOX" in a bold font, with 'CHICAGO' written across the jersey. Finally, the team's logo featured a silhouette of a batter over the words "SOX". The new uniforms also featured collars and were designed to be worn untucked - both unprecedented wrinkles. Yet by far the most unusual wrinkle was the option to wear shorts, which the White Sox did for one game against the Kansas City Royals in 1976. After being ridiculed by fans and pundits, and George Brett calling the White Sox "the sweetest team we have ever played," the White Sox retired the shorts. The Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League had tried the same concept at one time, and it was also poorly received. Apart from aesthetic issues, as a practical matter shorts are not conducive to sliding, due to the likelihood of significant abrasions. Upon taking over the team in 1980 new owners Eddie Einhorn and Jerry Reinsdorf announced a contest where fans were invited to create new uniforms for the White Sox. The winning entry was submitted by a fan where the word "SOX" was written across the front of the jersey, in the same font as a cap, inside of a large blue stripe trimmed with red. The red and blue stripes were also on the sleeves, and the road jerseys were gray to the home whites. It was in those jerseys that the White Sox won 99 games and the AL West championship in 1983, the best record in the majors. After five years those uniforms were retired and replaced with a more basic uniform which had "White Sox" written across the front in script, with "Chicago" on the front of the road jersey. The cap logo was also changed to a cursive "C", although the batter logo was retained for several years. For a mid-season 1990 game at Comiskey Park the White Sox appeared one time in a uniform based on that of the 1917 White Sox. The White Sox then switched their regular uniform style one more time. In September, for the final series at Old Comiskey Park, the old English "SOX" logo (a slightly simplified version of the 1949 logo) was restored, and the new uniform also had the black pinstripes restored. The team's primary color changed back to black—this time with silver trim. With minor modifications (i.e., occasionally wearing vests, black game jerseys) the White Sox have used this style ever since. Season records Chicago White Stockings (AL) * 1901 83-53 .610 1st in AL * 1902 74-60 .552 4th in AL * 1903 60-77 .438 7th in AL Chicago White Sox * 1904 89-65 .578 3rd in AL * 1905 92-60 .605 2nd in AL * 1906 93-58 .616 1st in AL Won World Series vs Chicago Cubs, 4-2 * 1907 87-64 .576 3rd in AL * 1908 88-64 .579 3rd in AL * 1909 78-74 .513 4th in AL * 1910 68-85 .444 6th in AL * 1911 77-74 .510 4th in AL * 1912 78-76 .506 4th in AL * 1913 78-74 .513 5th in AL * 1914 70-84 .455 6th in AL * 1915 93-61 .604 3rd in AL * 1916 89-65 .578 2nd in AL * 1917 100-54 .649 1st in AL Won World Series vs New York Giants, 4-2 * 1918 57-67 .460 6th in AL * 1919 88-52 .629 1st in AL Lost World Series to Cincinnati Reds, 3-5 * 1920 96-58 .623 2nd in AL * 1921 62-92 .403 7th in AL * 1922 77-77 .500 5th in AL * 1923 69-85 .448 7th in AL * 1924 66-87 .431 8th in AL * 1925 79-75 .513 5th in AL * 1926 81-72 .529 5th in AL * 1927 70-83 .458 5th in AL * 1928 72-82 .468 5th in AL * 1929 59-93 .388 7th in AL * 1930 62-92 .403 7th in AL * 1931 56-97 .366 8th in AL * 1932 49-102 .325 7th in AL * 1933 67-83 .447 6th in AL * 1934 53-99 .349 8th in AL * 1935 74-78 .487 5th in AL * 1936 81-70 .536 3rd in AL * 1937 86-68 .558 3rd in AL * 1938 65-83 .439 6th in AL * 1939 85-69 .552 4th in AL * 1940 82-72 .532 4th in AL * 1941 77-77 .500 3rd in AL * 1942 66-82 .446 6th in AL * 1943 82-72 .532 4th in AL * 1944 71-83 .461 7th in AL * 1945 71-78 .477 6th in AL * 1946 74-80 .481 5th in AL * 1947 70-84 .455 6th in AL * 1948 51-101 .336 8th in AL * 1949 63-91 .409 6th in AL * 1950 60-94 .390 6th in AL * 1951 81-73 .526 4th in AL * 1952 81-73 .526 3rd in AL * 1953 89-65 .578 3rd in AL * 1954 94-60 .610 3rd in AL * 1955 91-63 .591 3rd in AL * 1956 85-69 .552 3rd in AL * 1957 90-64 .584 2nd in AL * 1958 82-72 .532 2nd in AL * 1959 94-60 .610 1st in AL Lost World Series to Los Angeles Dodgers, 2-4 * 1960 87-67 .565 3rd in AL * 1961 86-76 .531 4th in AL * 1962 85-77 .525 5th in AL * 1963 94-68 .580 2nd in AL * 1964 98-64 .605 2nd in AL * 1965 95-67 .586 2nd in AL * 1966 83-79 .512 4th in AL * 1967 89-73 .549 4th in AL * 1968 67-95 .414 8th in AL * 1969 68-94 .420 5th in AL West * 1970 56-106 .346 6th in AL West * 1971 79-83 .488 3rd in AL West * 1972 87-67 .565 2nd in AL West * 1973 77-85 .475 5th in AL West * 1974 80-80 .500 4th in AL West * 1975 75-86 .466 5th in AL West * 1976 64-97 .398 6th in AL West * 1977 90-72 .556 3rd in AL West * 1978 71-90 .441 5th in AL West * 1979 73-87 .456 5th in AL West * 1980 70-90 .438 5th in AL West * 1981 54-52 .509 3rd/6th in AL West * 1982 87-75 .537 3rd in AL West * 1983 99-63 .611 1st in AL West Lost ALCS to Baltimore Orioles, 1-3 * 1984 74-88 .457 4th in AL West * 1985 85-77 .525 3rd in AL West * 1986 72-90 .444 5th in AL West * 1987 77-85 .475 5th in AL West * 1988 71-90 .441 5th in AL West * 1989 69-92 .429 7th in AL West * 1990 94-68 .580 2nd in AL West * 1991 87-75 .537 2nd in AL West * 1992 86-76 .531 3rd in AL West * 1993 94-68 .580 1st in AL West Lost ALCS to Toronto Blue Jays, 2-4 * 1994 67-46 .593 1st in AL Central No Postseason due to Players' Strike * 1995 68-76 .472 3rd in AL Central * 1996 85-77 .525 2nd in AL Central * 1997 80-81 .497 2nd in AL Central * 1998 80-82 .494 2nd in AL Central * 1999 75-86 .466 2nd in AL Central * 2000 95-67 .586 1st in AL Central Lost ALDS to Seattle Mariners, 0-3 * 2001 83-79 .512 3rd in AL Central * 2002 81-81 .500 2nd in AL Central * 2003 86-76 .531 2nd in AL Central * 2004 83-79 .512 2nd in AL Central * 2005 99-63 .611 1st in AL Central Won ALDS vs Boston Red Sox, 3-0. Won ALCS vs Los Angeles Angels, 4-1. Won World Series vs Houston Astros, 4-0. * 2006 90-72 .556 3rd in AL Central Total Record: 8300-8092 (.506) Rivalries and fan base The White Sox have recently found a competitor in the Detroit Tigers, who are fighting with the Sox for first place in the Central Division after finishing in fourth place in the 2005 season. Three seasons ago, the Tigers finished with 119 losses, so their turnaround is all the more remarkable. Travis Hafner and the Cleveland Indians came within 1½ games of the Sox in 2005 but got swept out of playoff contention at the end of the season. Johan Santana and the Minnesota Twins, who came in 3rd in the division last year, are perennial division contenders, having clinched the Central from 2002-2004. The Kansas City Royals are constantly slumping. After winning 83 games in 2003, they have come in last place in the AL Central each of the last two seasons, losing more than 100 games both years. The 1985 World Series Champions have fallen on tough times and currently have the worst record in the American League. The Chicago Cubs are the crosstown rivals of the White Sox, a rivalry that some made fun of prior to the Sox's 2005 title due to the fact that both of them had extremely long championship droughts. The nature of the rivalry is unique; with the exception of the 1906 World Series, in which the White Sox upset the favored Cubs, the teams never met in an official game until 1997, when interleague play was introduced. In the intervening time, the two teams sometimes met for exhibition games. An example of this volatile rivalry is the game played between the White Sox and the Cubs at U.S. Cellular Field on May 20, 2006. White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski was running home on a sacrifice fly by centerfielder Brian Anderson and smashed into Cubs catcher Michael Barrett, who was blocking home plate. Pierzynski lost his helmet in the collision, and slapped the plate as he rose. Barrett, who apparently believed Pierzynski was going to fight him, stopped him and, after exchanging a few words, punched Pierzynski in the face, causing a melee to ensue. Brian Anderson and Cubs first baseman John Mabry got involved in a separate confrontation, although it was later determined that Mabry was attempting to be a peacemaker. After ten minutes of conferring following the fight, the umpires ejected Pierzynski, Barrett, Anderson, and Mabry. As Pierzynski entered his dugout, he pumped his arms, causing the soldout crowd at U.S. Cellular Field to erupt in cheers. When play resumed, White Sox second baseman Tadahito Iguchi blasted a grand slam to put the White Sox up 5-0 on their way to a 7-0 win over their crosstown rivals. While there are other major league cities and metropolitan areas in which two teams co-exist, all of the others feature at least one team which began playing there in 1961 or later, whereas the Sox and Cubs have been competing for their city's fans since 1901. Only in New York, where the Yankees and Mets compete is there a comparable intra-city rivalry. Many fans of one Chicago baseball team dislike the other team. Loyalties are often determined by longstanding family allegiance to one team or the other, or, almost as frequently, whether they live on the South Side or the North Side. In this, Chicago retains a local rivalry like those once experienced in other cities. Like Chicago and New York, Boston, Philadelphia and St. Louis once had crosstown rivalries, but have since been lost as teams moved in the 1950s to other cities (even the 1962 expansion New York Mets are a stand-in for the old Giants-Dodgers-Yankee rivalry), Chicago's rivalry is ongoing, dating from the old "baseball wars" of 1901, and no doubt now intensified by the recent White Sox triumph. The teams have competed fairly equally for local fans for much of their co-existence. Through 2005, the Cubs have drawn greater attendance 60 times, and the White Sox 45 times, but the difference is primarily a recent effect, as the White Sox have only outdrawn the Cubs twice since 1984 (1991–92, the first two years after the current ballpark opened). The Cubs' attendance advantage in the last two decades can partly be attributed to the fact that their games began being broadcast nationally on WGN-TV] in 1978, creating a national following for the team and establishing Wrigley Field as a tourist destination, while the White Sox only returned to WGN in 1990 after a 22-year absence. (The Tribune Company, parent company of WGN, purchased the Cubs in 1981. Additionally, far fewer Sox games were shown on WGN after their return to the station.) As Chicago's South Side and suburbs are roughly equal in population to those on the North Side, the local fan bases of the two teams may be similar in size. While Cubs attendance in 1981 had fallen below 10,000 per game, in Harry Caray's first season as the Cubs' play-by-play announcer (on both television and radio), attendance per game almost doubled (even though the Cubs finished 16 games below .500), and in 1983 the team enjoyed the 7th-highest attendance in its history despite falling 20 games under .500; in 1984, the team drew 2 million fans for the first time, a mark it has failed to reach in only one full season since then. On the south side, in contrast, the White Sox management threatened to move the team to Tampa Bay in the late 1980s, banishment of fan favorite Andy the Clown from the ballpark, and a significant role in the 1994 strike, all further demoralized the fan base. Roster moves, such as trading Harold Baines in 1989, the release of Carlton Fisk during a road trip one day after he broke the record for career games as a catcher, the 1997 White Flag trade, and not re-signing Robin Ventura in 1998, also contributed to fan hostility, as did the introduction of a new ballpark that which some observers at first found cold, unappealing and antiseptic . However, with the White Sox first world championship in 88 years occurring in 2005, their competitiveness in 2006, and the changing demographics in the Bridgeport neighborhood, the White Sox appear to be creeping up in popularity with the Cubs. They surpassed the Cubs in TV and radio ratings, and a recent poll revealed the White Sox to be Chicago's favorite team, topping the Bears and the Cubs. While the Cubs enjoy something of a sentimental national following and compete with the St. Louis Cardinals for a strong regional fan base throughout the Midwest, the fiercely loyal Chicago White Sox fan base is largely tied to the Chicago area, particularly on the South Side and south suburban metropolitan area. There is a close identification of these communities to the team. In this sense the White Sox represent what may be the last of the great local baseball institutions, in the way that the Brooklyn Dodgers were once a central institution of the Brooklyn community. Songs The Chicago White Sox and its fanbase have adopted several songs as its theme songs over the years, among them: *"Let's Go, Go-Go White Sox" by Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers, the official fight song of the Chicago White Sox dating back to the 1959 World Series team, sung during and after major offensive plays and rallies. *"Thunderstruck" by AC/DC, played during Player inroductions. *"Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi, a fan favorite for many years, it is often played during an offensive rally when the White Sox need a big clutch hit. *"Don't Stop Believin' by Journey, which became the team's theme song during the 2005 season and was famously sung by Sox players and former Journey singer Steve Perry when they won the 2005 World Series. *"Boom" by POD, played when fireball closer Bobby Jenks enters the game. *"My Kind of Town" by Frank Sinatra, often played just prior to the start of a game, praising the city of Chicago. *"Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" by Steam, played when an opposing pitcher is pulled, when a player hits a homerun, and when the White Sox win a game. *"Sweet Home Chicago" as sung by The Blues Brothers, traditionally played at the end of the game when the White Sox win. *"Have a Nice Day" by Bon Jovi, another song often played after a White Sox victory *"He's a Pirate" by Klaus Badelt from the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean", is the second song used in the White Sox Player Introductions before the game. *"Harrow's Way" is the first song used in the White Sox Play Introductions before the game. *Songs that the players come to bat with can be found at this link. http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/cws/fan_forum/atbat_music.jsp Quick facts :Founded: 1893, as the Sioux City, Iowa franchise in the minor Western League. Moved to St. Paul, Minnesota in 1895, then to Chicago in 1900 when that league was renamed the American League, and which became a major league in 1901. :Formerly known as: Sioux City Cornhuskers, 1894. St. Paul Saints, 1895-1899. "White Sox" is short for "White Stockings". :Home ballpark: ' U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago. (This park, originally known as "New Comiskey Park", was opened in 1991; the original Comiskey Park was in use from mid-1910 to 1990. The original home field in Chicago was South Side Park. The previous home field in St. Paul was Lexington Park). :'Uniform colors: black, silver, and white :Logo design: the letters "SOX", interlocked in various ways :Current Team motto: Win. Or Die Trying. :Fight Song: "Let's Go, Go-Go White Sox" by Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers :All-time regular season record (through 2006): 8300 wins - 8092 losses - 101 ties - 3 no-decision :Local Television: CSN Chicago, WGN, WCIU :Local Radio: WSCR 670AM "The Score" :Television Announcers: Ken Harrelson, Darrin Jackson :Radio Announcers: Ed Farmer, Steve Stone :Rivals: 'Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins :'Spring Training Facility: Tucson Electric Park, Tucson, AZ Baseball Hall of Famers *Luis Aparicio, SS, 1956–62, 1968–70 *Luke Appling, SS, 1930–43, 1945–50 *Chief Bender, P, 1925 *Steve Carlton, P, 1986 *Eddie Collins, 2B, 1915–26 *George Davis, SS 1902, 1904–09 *Larry Doby, OF 1956-57, 1959; Manager, 1978 *Johnny Evers, 2B, 1922 *Red Faber, P, 1914–33 *Carlton Fisk, C, 1981–93 *Nellie Fox, 2B, 1950–63 *Clark Griffith, P-Manager, 1901–02 *Harry Hooper, OF, 1921–25 *George Kell, 3B, 1954–56 *Ted Lyons, P, 1923–42, 1946 *Edd Roush, OF 1913 *Red Ruffing, P 1947 *Ray Schalk, C, 1912–28 *Tom Seaver, P, 1984–86 *Al Simmons, OF, 1933–35 *Ed Walsh, P, 1904–16 *Hoyt Wilhelm, P, 1963–68 *Early Wynn, P, 1958–62 Nicht mehr vergebene numbers * 2''' Nellie Fox, 2B, 1950–63 * '''3 Harold Baines, OF-DH, 1980–89, 1996, 2000–01; Coach 2004–present * 4''' Luke Appling, SS, 1930–50; Coach 1970-71 * '''9 Minnie Miñoso, OF 1951-57, 1960–61, 1964, 1976, 1980; Coach 1976-78, 1980–81 * 11 Luis Aparicio, SS, 1956–62, 1968–70 * 16 Ted Lyons, P, 1923–46; Coach 1946-48 * 19 Billy Pierce, P, 1949–61 * 42 Jackie Robinson, retired throughout Major League Baseball. * 72 Carlton Fisk, C, 1981–93 Current Roster : Minor league affiliations * AAA: Charlotte Knights, International League * AA: Birmingham Barons, Southern League * Advanced A: Winston-Salem Warthogs, Carolina League * A: Kannapolis Intimidators, South Atlantic League * Rookie: Bristol Sox, Appalachian League * Rookie: Great Falls White Sox, Pioneer League See also *Magazine covers *Chicago White Sox all-time roster *List of Chicago White Sox people *White Sox award winners and league leaders *White Sox statistical records and milestone achievements *List of Major League Baseball franchise post-season droughts *White Sox broadcasters and media *White Sox managers and ownership *White Sox-Cubs rivalry *White Sox-Twins rivalry *Disco Demolition Night - a notoriously failed 1979 promotion *2005 World Series *1959 World Series *1919 World Series *1917 World Series *1906 World Series External links *Official site of the Chicago White Sox *Chicago White Sox history *Inside the White Sox (MLBlogs) - blog by Scott Reifert, team Vice President of Communications *National Baseball Hall of Fame: Chicago White Sox *Baseball-Reference.com: Chicago White Sox team index - year-by-year season records *Sports E-Cyclopedia *White Sox Interactive - online fan community with White Sox interviews, audio files, history and original articles * Category:Major League Baseball teams Category:Cactus League Category:Teams in Illinois Category:American League teams